Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is an American short- to medium-range twinjet narrow-body airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of ten passenger models with capacities from 85 to 215 passengers. The 737 is Boeing's only narrow-body airliner in production, with the 737 Next Generation (-700, -800, and -900ER) variants currently being built. Production has also begun on the re-engined and redesigned 737 MAX, which is set to enter service in 2017. Originally envisioned in 1964, the initial 737-100 made its first flight in April 1967 and entered airline service in February 1968 at Lufthansa. Next, the lengthened 737-200 entered service in April 1968. In the 1980s Boeing launched the -300, -400, and -500 models, subsequently referred to as the Classic series from 1984 to 2000. The 737 Classics added capacity and incorporated CFM56 turbofan engines along with wing improvements. In the 1990s, Boeing introduced the 737 Next Generation (from 1992 to 2017), with multiple changes including a redesigned, increased span laminar flow wing, upgraded "glass" cockpit, and new interior. The 737 Next Generation comprises the four -600, -700, -800, and -900 models, ranging from to in length. Boeing Business Jet versions of the 737 Next Generation are also produced. The 737 series is the best-selling jet commercial airliner in history. The 737 has been continuously manufactured by Boeing since 1967 with 9,448 aircraft delivered and 4,506 orders yet to be fulfilled . Assembly of the 737 is performed at the Boeing Renton Factory in Renton, Washington. Many 737s serve markets previously filled by 707, 727, 757, DC-9, and MD-80/MD-90 airliners, and the aircraft currently competes primarily with the Airbus A320 family. As of 2006, there were an average of 1,250 Boeing 737s airborne at any given time, with two departing or landing somewhere every five seconds. 737 Original Series The initial model was 737-100. A total of 30 737-100s were ordered and delivered, the last is the Malaysia-Singapore Airlines on October 31, 1969. No 737-100 remains in service, the original 737 prototype which was last used by the NASA is on exhibit at Museum of Flight in Seattle. The 737-200 is a 737-100 with an extended fuselage, launched by an order from United Airlines in 1965. The -200 was rolled out on June 29, 1967, and entered service with United in April 1968. 737 Classic The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -600/700/800/900 series. The Classic series was originally introduced as the 'new generation' of the 737. The prototype of the -300 rolled out of the Renton plant on January 17, 1984, and first flew on February 24, 1984. After it received its flight certification on November 14, 1984, USAir received the first aircraft on November 28. A very popular aircraft, Boeing received 252 orders for it in 1985, and over 1,000 throughout its production. The 300 series remained in production until 1999 when the last aircraft was delivered to Air New Zealand on December 17, 1999, registration ZK-NGJ. By then, 1,113 Boeing 737-300s were produced in a span of more than 15 years. In December 2008, Southwest Airlines selected Boeing to retrofit the 737-300 with a new set of instruments, hardware, and software, to improve commonality with the 737-700, as well as to support the Required Navigation Performance initiative, but that order was later cancelled and the retrofits never took place. The 737-400 design was launched in 1985 to fill the gap between the 737-300 and the 757-200, and competed with the Airbus A320 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80. It stretched the 737-300 another to carry up to 188 passengers. It included a tail bumper to prevent tailscrapes during take-off (an early issue with the 757), and a strengthened wing spar. The prototype rolled out on January 26, 1988, and flew for the first time on February 19, 1988. The 737-400F was not a model delivered by Boeing, but a 737-400 converted to freighter. The Boeing 737-400 never included winglets as an option, just like the Boeing 737-600. Alaska Airlines was the first to convert one of their 400s from regular service to an aircraft with the ability to handle 10 pallets. The airline has also converted five more into fixed combi aircraft for half passenger and freight. These 737-400 Combi aircraft were retired in 2017 and replaced with 737-700Fs. In November 2018, VX Capital launched an ABS secured on 35 B737-400 freighters valued at $250 million (an average of $ million), to be leased for $100,000 per month each. 737-400 was replaced by 737-800 in the Next Generation family. The -500 series was offered, due to customer demand, as a modern and direct replacement of the 737-200, incorporating the improvements of the 737 Classic series in a model that allowed longer routes with fewer passengers to be more economical than with the 737-300. The fuselage length of the -500 is longer than the 737-200, accommodating up to 140 passengers. Both glass and older style mechanical cockpits arrangements were available. Using the CFM56-3 engine also gave a 25% increase in fuel efficiency over the older -200s P&W engines. The 737-500 was launched in 1987, by Southwest Airlines, with an order for 20 aircraft, and flew for the first time on June 30, 1989. A single prototype flew 375 hours for the certification process, and on February 28, 1990 Southwest Airlines received the first delivery. The 737-500 has become a favorite of some Russian airlines, with Nordavia, Rossiya Airlines, S7 Airlines, Sky Express, Transaero, UTair, and Yamal Airlines all buying second-hand models of the aircraft to replace aging Soviet-built aircraft and/or expand their fleets. Aerolíneas Argentinas replaced its 737-200s with second-hand 737-500s. The 737-500 is now replaced by the 737-600 in the Boeing 737 Next Generation family. However, unlike the 737-500, the 737-600 has been a slow seller for Boeing since its introduction, with only 69 aircraft delivered. As the retirement of all 737 Classic models has accelerated, with retirement of 300s and -500s climbing 40% in 2012, the 737-500 has fared worse because of its smaller size. Aircraft older than 21 years old are being retired (vs. at least 24 years old for the 737-300). While a few 737-300s are slated for freighter conversion, no demand at all exists for a -500 freighter conversion. On September 5, 2016, Southwest Airlines flew their last 737-500 revenue flight, Flight 377 from El Paso to Dallas. 737 Next Generation The 737-600 was launched by SAS in March 1995 with the first aircraft delivered in September 1998. A total of 69 have been produced, the last aircraft was delivered to WestJet in 2006. Boeing displayed the 737-600 in its price list until August 2012. The 737-600 replaces the 737-500 and is similar to the Airbus A318. In November 1993, Southwest Airlines launched the Next-Generation program with an order for 63 737-700s and took delivery of the first one in December 1997. It replaced the 737-300, typically seating 126 passengers in two classes to 149 in all-economy configuration, similarly to the Airbus A319. As of July 2018, all -700 series on order, 1,128 -700, 120 -700 BBJ, 20 -700C, and 14 -700W aircraft have been delivered. By June 2018, around one thousand were in service: half of them with Southwest Airlines, followed by Westjet with 56 and United Airlines with 39. The value of a new -700 stayed around $35 million from 2008 to 2018, a 2003 aircraft was valued for $15.5 million in 2016 and $12 million in 2018 and will be scrapped for $6 million by 2023. The 737-700C is a convertible version where the seats can be removed to carry cargo instead. There is a large door on the left side of the aircraft. The United States Navy was the launch customer for the 737-700C under the military designation C-40 Clipper. The Boeing 737-800 is a stretched version of the 737-700. It replaced the 737-400. The Boeing 737-800 competes with the Airbus A320. The 737-800 seats 162 passengers in a two-class layout or 189 passengers in a one-class layout. The 737−800 was launched by Hapag-Lloyd Flug (now TUIfly) in 1994 and entered service in 1998. Following Boeing's merger with McDonnell Douglas, the 737-800 also filled the gap left by Boeing's decision to discontinue the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and MD-90 aircraft. For many airlines in the U.S., the 737-800 replaced aging Boeing 727-200 trijets. The 737-800 burns of jet fuel per hour—about 80 percent of the fuel used by an MD-80 on a comparable flight, while carrying more passengers. According to the Airline Monitor, an industry publication, a 737-800 burns of fuel per seat per hour. In 2011, United Airlines— flying a Boeing 737-800 from Houston to Chicago—operated the first U.S. commercial flight powered by a blend of algae-derived biofuel and traditional jet fuel to reduce its carbon footprint. In early 2017, a new 737-800 was valued at $48.3 million, falling to below $47 million by mid 2018. By 2025, a 17-year old 737-800W will be worth $9.5 million and leased for $140,000 per month. As of January 2019, Boeing had delivered 4,965 737-800s, 110 737-800As, and 21 737-800 BBJ2s and has 75 737-800 unfilled orders. The 737-800 is the most popular variant of the 737NG and ranks as the most common narrow-body aircraft in service. Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline, is among the largest operators of the Boeing 737-800, with a fleet of over 400 737-800 aircraft serving routes across Europe and North Africa. In February 2016, Boeing launched a passenger-to-freighter conversion program, with converted aircraft designated as 737-800BCF (for Boeing Converted Freighter). Boeing started the program with orders for 55 conversions, with the first converted aircraft due for late 2017 delivery. The first converted aircraft was delivered to West Atlantic in April 2018. At the 2018 Farnborough Airshow, GECAS announced an agreement for 20 firm orders and 15 option orders for the 737-800BCF, raising the commitment to 50 aircraft. Total orders and commitments include 80 aircraft to over half a dozen customers. Modifications to the 737-800 airframe include installing a large cargo door, a cargo handling system, and additional accommodations for non-flying crew or passengers. The aircraft is designed to fly up to 1,995 nmi at a MTOW of 79 tonnes. Boeing later introduced the 737-900, the longest variant to date. Because the −900 retains the same exit configuration of the −800, seating capacity is limited to 189 in a high-density 1-class layout, although the 2-class number is higher at approximately 177. Alaska Airlines launched the 737-900 in 1997 and accepted delivery on May 15, 2001. The 737-900 also retains the MTOW and fuel capacity of the −800, trading range for payload. These shortcomings until recently prevented the 737-900 from effectively competing with the Airbus A321. The 737-900ER (ER for extended range), which was called the 737-900X prior to launch, is the newest addition and the largest variant of the Boeing 737 NG line and was introduced to meet the range and passenger capacity of the discontinued 757-200 and to directly compete with the Airbus A321. An additional pair of exit doors and a flat rear pressure bulkhead increased seating capacity to 180 passengers in a two-class configuration. It can accommodate up to 220 passengers. Some airlines seal the additional exit. Additional fuel capacity and standard winglets improved range to that of other 737NG variants. The first 737-900ER was rolled out of the Renton, Washington factory on August 8, 2006 for its launch customer, Lion Air, an Indonesian low-cost airline. The airline received this aircraft on April 27, 2007 in a special dual paint scheme combining the Lion Air's logo on the vertical stabilizer and the Boeing's livery colors on the fuselage. Lion Air has orders for 103 Boeing 737-900ERs as of September 2017. As of January 2019, 52 -900s, 490 -900ERs, and seven -900 BBJ3s have been delivered with 15 unfilled orders. With a smaller operator base, the -900ER is not as liquid as other variants: in October 2018, a ten-year-old -900ER was worth $19.4 million and leased for $180,000 per month over eight years, below the -800, while there is a premium for the A321 over the A320. By 2025, a seventeen-year-old -900ER will reach $8.5 million with a $120,000 lease, $ million and $ ,000 less per month than a -800W of the same age, and could be parted out or converted to a freighter. Boeing Business Jet In the late 1980s, Boeing marketed the 77-33 jet, a business jet version of the 737-300. The name was shortlived. After the introduction of next-generation series, Boeing introduced the Boeing Business Jet, which is similar to the 737-700 but had additional features, including stronger wings and landing gear from the 737-800, and has increased range (through the use of extra fuel tanks) over the other various 737 models. The first BBJ rolled out on August 11, 1998 and flew for the first time on September 4. On October 11, 1999 Boeing launched the BBJ2. Based on the 737-800, it is 5.84 m (19 ft 2 in) longer than the BBJ1, with 25% more cabin space and twice the baggage space, but has slightly reduced range. It is also fitted with auxiliary belly fuel tanks and winglets. The first BBJ2 was delivered on February 28, 2001. The BBJ3 fleet is similar to the 737-900ER aircraft. In January 2014, the three 737-900ER aircraft had been configured as BBJ3 business jets, where it is 16 feet lonoger than 737-800/BBJ2 and have a slightly smaller range. 737 MAX Since 2006, Boeing has decided to replace with the clean design (which is Y1), but in the end it was replaced by Boeing 737 MAX in 2015.